Some schools in South Dakota have gone one-to-one, and other schools have one computer cart for two grade levels. Some teachers refuse to use their computers for anything but email, and others are incorporating web 2.0 tools into their project-based learning curricula. But one thing that is consistent across the board is the need for…

Now more than ever, education leaders must focus strategically on educational technology professional development (ETPD) for teachers. Research evidence indicates that 30 hours of focused professional development is required to change teachers' professional practice. So despite positive opinions about the importance and efficacy of educational…

Educational technology-related professional development (ETPD) can be designed in many different ways. It varies by general purposes and goals, specific learning objectives, curriculum content, the student grade levels for which the strategies and tools presented are appropriate, professional development model(s) used, how it is matched to…

The previous article reviewed the range of educational technology professional development session and program goals. In this article, the second part of four-part series, the author presents and explains educational technology-related professional development (ETPD) models. ETPD models can be classified into five general types of professional…

By all accounts, the Denver School of Science and Technology (DSST) is a special school. It was the first public charter high school in Denver to become a one-to-one laptop school, thanks to a $1 million gift from Hewlett-Packard. Even though the school accepts applicants via a lottery system and its charter requires that 40% of its students come…

Educational technology-related professional development (ETPD) can be designed in many different ways. ETPD varies by general purposes and goals, specific learning objectives, curriculum content, student grade levels for which the strategies and tools presented are appropriate, professional development models used, how it is matched to…

The convenient format, delivery, and accessibility of information offered by podcasting has made it a hot new trend. One of its limitations in educational applications, however, is its implementation primarily as a push technology--one that simply feeds users information. Podcasts tend to focus listeners inward and rarely encourage human…

Learning is becoming more personal, yet collaborative and networked, portable and situated, ubiquitous and durable--and increasingly at odds with formal education, as more and different types of learning are happening outside of the classroom. In this article, the author provides a glimpse of what the not-so-distant future of education might…

This article discusses the Maryland Technology Academy Leadership Program which was launched in summer 1999 to build technology integration leaders who could promote and support the use of technology in schools throughout Maryland. For over four years of operation, the program provided an intensive professional development experience to more than…

Each August, teachers from around the state gather for the Arizona K-12 Center's Tech Camp, a week-long immersion in technology for the classroom. The Arizona K-12 Center's mission is to improve teaching and learning in Arizona's schools through high-quality professional development and teacher leadership. The formula Tech Camp follows is a simple…

In March 2000, Maine Governor Angus King surprised the rest of the United States when he announced that he wanted to provide every seventh grader in Maine with a portable wireless computing device. An unexpected state budget surplus had given him the opportunity to do something radical to improve education and the economy of Maine. King recognized…

This article describes a project that integrated technology into a classroom unit as part of a project (Project MEET) sponsored by the Massachusetts Department of Education. The project goals were linked to the Massachusetts History and Social Science Framework that focuses on the differences between work and play, and was based on the use of…